Date: Wed, 15 Jun 1994 17:12:35 -0700 Here's something I played with today. Understand that I haven't refined this at all except do a basic spell check. Flames or comments - please send them to me. *************************************************************************** Cross To Bear In Life A Forever Knight Story by Margaret Newman "Keep your cross at hand, children!" The television evangelist cried out to his enrapted audience. Nick glanced at the television, blasting away at the world from the otherside of a plate glass window. It was an open all night pawn shop that had a glow in the dark statue of Jesus in the other window. "Man o' man." Schanke whispered as he scribbled in his notebook. The shooting had claimed 3 victims, and it definitely looked like they had a long night ahead of them. Nick looked at Schanke, looked at Natalie as she hovered over the victims, and then his eyes went back to the television. "Keep your cross at hand, children!" He repeated. "Keep your Bible close, too! Demons-" he stressed the word, his voice shaking, "Demons are all around us! Show them your cross! Show them your Bible! They can not touch you when you are protected by Jesus Christ!" "How tiring." LaCroix had sighed, though there had been an edge to his words. The Puritan Reverend shook his cross at LaCroix, not quickly realizing there was no effect.... ....The present day world had faded away, and Nick was suddenly lost in the past. He was bound, gagged at the feet of the Puritan Reverend. His Puritan friend, Jonathan, had committed suicide, and Reverend Howarth was determined to have just punishment. "Thou art an abomination! As surely as this disgusting creature at my feet!" He toed Nicholas roughly in the ribs. "Prepare thyself for Judgement Day! It is at hand!" "Thou shouldst prepare thyself." LaCroix replied evenly. "Thy Judgement Day is come." "Words, Demon! God is on my side!" The Reverend shook his bible, firmly clutched in his left hand, at LaCroix. "Your God." LaCroix shrugged. "I never claimed him." "Blasphemy!" The Reverend's face darkened towards purple, his anger and disgust was overwhelming. "LaCroix!" Janette cried out, rushing down several steps into the Reverend's cellar. "Hurry!" "Go upstairs! Be ready." LaCroix replied without looking up at her. He had already taken care of the Reverend's sons and bondservents. His wife and daughters were dead in their beds. Nicholas would pay him dearly for this rescue. It had interrupted an enjoyable game of wits in New York. "Nicolah!" Janette gasped, seeing him helplessly trussed up on the floor. "Go!" LaCroix bellowed. "Thou wilt suffer for the sins committed here tonight! Thou wilt suffer with thy demon-child!" The Reverend shoved Nicholas onto his back with a boot toe. "I will stake him, stuff his mouth with garlic, mark his body with the Sign of Christ-" "You are wasting my time." LaCroix growled. He stepped to the Reverend's left, near Nicholas' feet. The Reverend snapped the bible closed, and dropped it with a thump! onto Nicholas' chest. Nicholas tried to shake the bible off, feeling the heat from it beginning to sear his chest. His attention diverted, he missed the sudden lunge of LaCroix's. Suddenly, LaCroix held the Reverend's hand which had been brandishing the heavy, silver cross. LaCroix's hand, touching the cross, did not burn. The Reverend, seeing this, and that the Demon seemed unafraid of the Christian symbol, felt his first misgivings. They were his last. The Reverend Howarth's momentary hesitation, eyes flickering from the cross to LaCroix, was all that the vampire needed. LaCroix twisted Howarth's arm, his left hand grabbing the Reverend's throat. The good Reverend struggled, chanting psalms and prayers loud enough to wake the village. His voice drained away eventually as did his blood. The body hit the dirt floor by Nicholas' with a heavy thump. The cross flew out of the Reverend's hand and arced high, heading -it seemed to Nicholas- straight for him. Inches above his face, LaCroix caught the offending object. The chain smacked the side of Nicholas' face, but it did not burn him. LaCroix stood over Nicholas, contemplating the cross, the bible, and the disappointing protogee. Finally, LaCroix kicked the bible off of Nicholas' chest. The stench of burnt clothing and skin beginning to burn was distasteful to him. "Nicholas, you are my cross to bear in life." LaCroix commented, dangling the cross by the chain a fraction of the inch above Nicholas' nose. He swung it, and tossed it towards one dead sons. "Come, we have to get out of here." LaCroix withdrew a dagger, and cut Nicholas free. He walked to the stairs, but turned back to check on the younger vampire's progress. He clucked his tongue, and shook his head. "As soon as we reach New York, you are visiting my tailor and my barber. I do not care for that style." His footsteps on the stairs were heavy, and Nicholas flinched at the sound of them. Like nails sealing the coffin of his fate. Back again with LaCroix. * * * "Nick?" Schanke called out to his partner. He was surprised to find him staring blankly at the tv in the pawnshop. Watching a television evangelist? "Hey, Knight! Earth to Knight!" "Yeah, Schanke?" Nick turned, frowning. He rubbed his eyes. "You daydreaming or what?" Don joked. "Hey, Nat-" "Shut up, Loverboy." Nick growled as he walked by. "Or Myra finds out about the pin-up in your locker." "Hey! Hey!" Schanke followed after him, brandishing his pen as someone once had brandished a cross. "That's not fair! That has nothing-! Knight!"